Galvanizing apparatus



June 23, 1953 w. s. ,PEARsoN GALVANIZING APPARATUS Filed May 11, 1948 2*..SheotsnSheet 1 June 23, 1953 w. s. PEARsoN 2,542,834

' GALvANIzING APPARATUS Filed May 11, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eg. Z

N 1 Z6 v 0 z /30 such as conduit pipe I0, as indicated in dot dash outline in Fig. l and in full outline in Figs. 2 and 6. In the galvanizing process, the lengths of conduit I are immersed in a molten zinc bath which is contained in a tank II open at the top and operatively surrounded by a furnace I2 of refractory or the like wherein an appropriate high temperature is maintained by means of gas burners cr the like as is Well known in the industry for maintaining the molten zinc at proper galvanizing temperature. Before the conduit sections I0 are actually immersed in the zinc bath, theymust be thoroughly treated in a fiux bath to assure subsequent uniform adherence of the zinc thereto.

In order to carry on the galvanizing process upon a continuous succession of articles, the iiux is so located relative to the zinc bath that the articles can pass directly from the flux bath into the zinc bath. Inasmuch as the molten zinc is substantially heavier than the molten flux, it is possible to have the flux float on top of the zinc bath so that the articles can be conducted directly down through the flux into the zinc.

According to the present invention, the fiux is confined to a relatively limited pool on the surface of the zinc bath and leaving a substantial surface area of the zinc bath therebeyond free for removal of the galvanized articles. To this end, a flux pool confining structure is'associated with one side of the tank II and comprises a flux dam I3 and a cooperating retaining frame I4. The dam I3 extends across the tank II so as to confine the fiux pool to but a portion of the zinc bath surface while the remainder of the zinc bath surface is left entirely open for removal of the galvanized articles therefrom.

For this purpose the dam I3 comprises an angle iron member fixedly secured as by Welding at its ends to respective angular supporting brackets I5 having horizontal bearing flanges I1 secured to an upper marginal bordering frame structure I8 about the top of the tank II as by means of screws I8 extending through spaced, aligned respective slots 20 in the bearing flange. Through this arrangement the dam I3 can be readily installed or removed as desired.

The dam bar I5 itself is preferably located to span the tank I I at an elevation higher than the normal level of the zinc bath, and a dam plate 2| is secured to the lower flange of the bar I3 as by means of screws 22 extending through longitudinally aligned, spaced respective slots 23 in the plate 2|, the lower edge of the plate extending down below the surface of the zinc bath and thus cooperating with the dam bar I3 to confine the fiux to one side of the surface of the zinc bath.

The flux retaining frame I4 is constructed and arranged to confine the pool of ux to smaller limits adjacent the ends of the tank Il and for this purpose preferably comprises a substantially U-shaped metal plate structure of ample width to extend into the zinc bath approximately the same distance as the dam plate 2| and with its upper edge approximately in a plane with the upper edge of Athe bar I3. The confining frame I4 defines a space longitudinally of the tank II which is somewhat longer than the conduit sections I0 but yet confining the flux pool to an economical spread. The ends of the arm portions of the frame I4 are supported by the dam I3 while the base or web portion of the frame I4 is secured to an upstanding flange of an angular supporting bracket bar 24 on top of the proximate side of the tank II. A separable attachment of the frame I4 to the bracket 24 may be effected by means of screws 25.

At their free ends the arms of the frame I4 are supported by the dam I3. To this end, the angular main bar of the dam I3 is mounted with the divergent flange portions thereof providing an angular reentrant channel or groove in which the end portions of the frame arms are received and supported. Through this arrangement the dam plate 2| diagonally underlies the end portions of the frame legs in supporting relation. The tips of the frame legs or arms are preferably shaped complementary to the engaged opposing surfaces of the dam structure, substantially as shown in Fig. 2, and may be provided with angular bearing anges 21 which rest flat against the plate 2| and may, if desired, be detachably secured thereto. Through this arrangement it will be clear that the fiux bath is confined to a pool of predetermined area occupying but a portion of the surface area of the zinc bath adjacent to one side of the tank I I.

Means are provided for introducing the sections of conduit I0 in continuous spaced succession through the flux pool into the zinc bath and guiding and impelling the conduit sections through the zinc bath as they are being galvanized to a place where the galvanized conduit sections can be removed from the galvanizing bath in an area left free by confinement of the fiux pool to a limited portion of the zinc bath surface. Herein such means comprises a delivery conveyor 28 which delivers a continuous succession of the conduit sections II) to a guiding and impeller mechanism 29. The conveyor 28 comprises a pair of spaced parallel endless chains 30 which adjacent to the galvanizing tank II are trained over respective sprockets 3 I. Lugs 32 projecting from the conveyor chains 30 at spaced intervals compel the conduit sections I0 to travel with the chains in parallel relation to the tank II. Longitudinally underlying supporting bars 33 hold the supporting runs of the chains 30 against sagging.

The delivery end of the conveyor 28 is preferably supported at a substantial elevation above the adjacent side of the galvanizing tank II by means of supporting frame structure 34. As each successive one of the conduit pieces I0 to be galvanized drops off of the end of the conveyor 28, it falls on identical ramp extensions 35 of a pair of similar guide members 31 which are preferably in the form of appropriately configurated metal bars having the end portions thereof contiguous the conveyor 2B secured as by means of screws 38 to the upstanding ange of the bracket bar 24.

The guide bars 31 dip down from the ramp extensions 35 thereof into and through the ux pool into the zinc bath and are in engagement at their opposite end portions with the inside face of the opposite wall of the galvanizing tank I I. Intermediately the guide bars 31 are formed to cooperate with an impelling ring member 39 While adjacent to the take-out side of the galvanizing tank the bars dip down obliquely toward the wall of the tank to guide the galvanized conduit sections toward such wall, while the end portions of the guide bars engaging the wall extend upwardly therealong to provide spacers 40 which will hold the galvanized conduit sections away from the wall thus facilitate engagement and removal of the galvanized sections by means of take-Out hooks or tongs.

The construction and relationship of the guide bars 31 and the impeller rings 29 is such that the successive conduit sections ID are maintained in substantial parallelism and they are fed through the galvanizing bath. To this end, the cooperating guide bars and impelling rings are disposed in spaced relation to engage the conduit sections adjacent to their opposite ends and the impeller rings are adapted to be driven in unison.

Each of the impeller rings 39 comprises a metallic ring of flattened bar stock carrying a uniformly spaced series of radially outwardly projecting impeller pins 4|. The diameter of the ring 39 is such that it can be disposed to encircle the dam I3 and a supporting and drive pulley 42 and dip down through the flux pool into the zinc bath. The supporting and drive pulleys 42 for the impeller rings are fixed upon a drive shaft 43 which is carried by journals 44 at the opposite ends of the furnace l2 and has at one end a gear 45 which meshes with a drive pinion 41 which is motivated in appropriate manner such as by the drive shaft of a motor 48.

As best seen in Figs. 2 and 4, the pulley 42 in each instance has a shallow channel-shaped periphery within which the impeller ring 39 is carried. There is thus afforded a frictional drive for the impeller ring. Should movement of the impeller ring be impeded for any reason such as by jamming of one or more of the conduit sections being galvanized, the drive pulleys 42 can slip relative to the ring and thus avoid damaging the conduit sections in^ engagement with the impeller Wheel or ring. This frictional sup-` port and drive of the ring also facilitates realignment of the two impeller rings with respect to the impeller pins 4| thereof. y

In order to limit the diameter of the impeller rings 39 and yet afford ample clearance between the inner peripheries of the impeller rings and the supporting and drive pulleys 42 to accommodate the dam I3 traversing the interiors'of the impeller rings, means are provided for maintaining the rings in lateral eccentricity to the pulleys 42. Herein such means comprise respective pairs of flanged Wheels 49 which engage the outer peripheries of the respective impeller rings 39 at respective opposite sides of and clear of the impeller pins 4| at an'appropriate point off` set from a vertical plane through the axis of the pulleys 42 and coacting with the respective impeller rings to hold them in traction with the drive pulleys against any tendency for'the rings to float up therefrom under influence of the zinc bath or other reasons. y

The wheels 49 are idlers supported by an idler shaft 50 carried by appropriate journals 5| at its ends and mounted on supporting frame members 52 at the ends of the furnace. As best rseen in Fig. 2 the spacing between the idler wheels 49 and the pulley 42 in each instance is slightly greater than the thickness of the impeller ring 39 so that there will be no active gripping action of the idlers 49 to prevent the slipping of n impeller pins 4|y leave the cooperative receiving relation to the ramps 35 of the guide bars 31,`

and the intermediate portion ofthe guide bars 31 formed to provide an arcuate section 53 on f a radius parallel to the adjacent periphery of the associated impeller ring 39 cooperate with the tips of the impeller pins 4| to conne'the conduit sections within their respective pin formed pockets. The spacing between pins `is ample to permit limited movement of the conduit sections therebetween such as may be desirable for release of air from the interiors there.- of as they are immersed first in the flux and then in the zinc bath, but the spacing is small enough to avoid such tilting or cooking of any conduit section as would tend to permit the same to slip endwise from 'the guide bars 31. In the 'initial immersion y of the conduit sections ini mersed in the zin-c bath while the sections arev advanced by the impeller on through the molten bath in the hottest' upper zone thereof and until there is no longer tendency of the conduit sections to float, as the galvanizing thereof proceeds and the molten zinc lls the conduit sections. l* I v As each of the impeller pins 4| leaves the arcuate section of the guide bars 31 on the upsweep of the ring 39 the galvanized conduit section impelled thereby is released to roll down the take-out end portion of the guide bar 31 toward the spacer sections 49.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. l

and 2, it will be observed that the flux dam I3 is `disposed adjacent to the side of the impeller rings 39 remote from the arcuate guide portions 53 of the guide bars 31. In such arrangement the eccentricity idler wheels 49 are disposed adjacent tothe Yconveyor 28. In this arrangement the drive pulleys 42 for the impeller mechanism may, at leastwhen the flux pool'is fairly deep, dip into theflux. f f

In the modiiication shown in Fig. 6, all of the mechanism with the exception of the flux dam structure is substantiallyidentical with the form of Figsl and 2, and similar reference numerals identify identical parts. In this modiiied form of Fig. 6, the eccentricity idlers 49 are mounted at the opposite side of the respective impellery rings 39 andthe supporting and drive pulleys 42 are mounted on axes slightly further removed from the conveyor 28 but at the same elevation as f in Fig. 2, the arrangement being such that eccentricity of the impeller ring 39 relative to the drive pulleys 42 inclines toward the conveyor 28 and affords maximum spacing between the pulleys'42 and the interiors of the rings 39 adjacent to the arcuate guide portion 53 of the respective guide bars 31. Hence a flux'dam 54 can be located much closer `to the entry side of the gal- Vanizing tank to provide a much narrower ilux pool and permit the supporting and drive pulleys 42to' operate clear of the flux bath.

Inv the modiiication the dam 54 comprises an angular bar similarly as described in connection with the 'dam I3, but the bar is turned around the other way so vthat instead of the peak of the angle being' directed away from the guide bars 31, it is directed toward the same and a lower extension plate 55 secured to the lower ange of the dam bar 54 as by means of screws 51 angles outwardly relative to the flux pool. This arrangement, similarly as the arrangement of the dam I3 and the extension plate 2l thereof efciently clears the inner circumference of the impeller rings 39 as Well as the circumference of the pulleys 42. End brackets 58 support the dam 54, and a U-shaped flux confining frame 59 has angularly shaped brackets 60 at the ends of the arms thereof which engage the dam 54 and are supported thereby, the web or base of the frame being secured to the side angle bracket 24 in similar fashion as the previously described ux confining frame I4.

Operation of the modied form of Fig. 6 is the same as that described for the form of Figs. l and 2, and need therefore not be repeated.

In both forms of the invention the flux dam can be readily mounted or removed as required, the main dam bar is readily adjustable into cooperation with the ux confining frame. The impeller wheels or rings are adapted to be readily assembled and the particular mounting and driving thereof simplifies the dam structure and greatly facilitates assembly thereof with the flux dam bar extending through the impeller rings. All of the several components of the apparatus are of relatively simple and rugged construction and the entire assembly is of especially compact and efficient arrangement.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination in galvanizing apparatus, an impeller ring comprising a simple rim having a series of radial impeller pins thereon, a grooved pulley supporting and driving said impeller ring, means cooperating with said impeller ring to maintain the ring in driving engagement with the pulley, and guide means cooperative with the pins on said impeller ring for guiding articles to be galvanized as they are impelled through a galvanizing bath by said pins in the rotation of the ring by said pulley.

2. In combination in galvanizing apparatus of the character described, means for supporting a galvanizing bath, an impeller ring, a supporting and drive pulley of smaller diameter supporting said impeller ring in position to dip partially into the galvanizing bath, means cooperatively related to the impeller ring to support articles to be galvanized in position to be moved through the bath by the impeller ring, an idler wheel structure engaging the impeller ring and maintaining the same in offset eccentricity relative to a vertical plane through the axis of the pulley, and a flux dam structure extending through the impeller ring between the inner periphery thereof and said pulley in the eccentric space afforded between the ring and the pulley by the action of said idler.

3. In combination in galvanizing apparatus of the character described, means for supporting a galvanizing bath, an impeller ring, a supporting and drive pulley of smaller diameter supporting said impeller ring in position to dip partially into the galvanizing bath, means cooperatively related to the impeller ring to support articles to be galvanized in position to be moved through the bath by the impeller ring, an idler wheel structure engaging the impeller ring and maintaining the same in oiset eccentricity relative to a vertical plane through the axis of the pulley, and a flux dam structure extending through the impeller ring between the inner periphery thereof and said pulley in the eccentric space afforded between the ring and the pulley by the action of said idler, the idler wheel structure being spaced from the pulley further than the thickness of the impeller ring whereby to avoid restraint by the idler upon emergency slipping of the pulley relative to the impeller ring.

4. In combination in a galvanizing apparatus of the character described, a. galvanizing tank, a conduit feed conveyor, a pair of guide bars cooperatively related to the conveyor to receive successive sections of conduit to be galvanized therefrom and extending into the galvanizing tank, a spaced pair of impeller rings, respective drive pulleys of smaller diameter supporting said rings, said rings having radial pins cooperatively related to coact with said guide bars to engage and impel the successive conduit sections through a portion of the galvanizing tank, means cooperating with the impeller rings to maintain the same on axes disposed in offset eccentricity relative to a vertical plane through the axis of the pulleys. a flux dam bar extending through the impeller rings in the eccentric spacing between the rings and the pulleys and supported at the opposite ends of the tank, said bar having a dam plate extending diagonally in clearing relation in said eccentric space, and a ilux confining frame supported at the side of the tank behind said guide bars and by said dam bar adjacent to the opposite ends of the tank and between said opposite ends of the tank and said impeller rings.

5. In combination in apparatus for galvanizing conduit sections, a galvanizing tank adapted to contain a body of galvanizing material to an approximate level therein, an impeller ring having a series of radially projecting impeller pins on its outer periphery, a drive pulley of smaller diameter than the impeller ring supporting the impeller ring by riding of the inner periphery of the impeller ring on the pulley, means cooperating with said impeller ring to maintain the ring in driving engagement with the pulley, said drive pulley being disposed entirely above the galvanizing material level, but at such an elevation as to support the impeller ring with the lower portion of the impeller ring dipping below said level, guide means for the conduit sections cooperative with the lower portion of the impeller ring in the tank, said pins being adapted to impel a succession of conduit sections along said guide means downwardly through said galvanizing material.

6. In combination in apparatus for galvanizing conduit sections, a galvanizing tank adapted to contain a body of galvanizing material to an approximate level therein, an impeller ring having a series of radially projecting impeller pins on its outer periphery, a drive pulley of smaller diameter than the impeller ring supporting the impeller ring by riding of the inner periphery of the impeller ring on the pulley, said drive pulley being disposed entirely above the galvanizing material level, but at such an elevation as to support the impeller ring with the lower portion of the impeller ring dipping below said level, guide means for the conduit sections cooperative with the lower portion of the impeller ring in the tank, said pins being adapted to impel a succession of conduit sections along said guide means downwardly through said galvanizing material, and an idler wheel engaging the outer periphery of the impeller ring and maintaining the impeller ring in offset eccentricity relative to a vertical plane through the axis of the drive pulley.

7. In combination in apparatus for galvanizing conduit sections, a galvanizing tank adapted to contain a body of galvanizing material to an approximate level therein, an impeller ring having a series of radially projecting impeller pins on its outer periphery, a drive pulley of smaller diameter than the impeller ring supporting the impeller ring by riding of the inner periphery of the impeller ring on the pulley, said drive pulley being disposed entirely above the galvanizing material level, but at such an elevation as to support the impeller ring with the lower portion of the impeller ring dipping below said level, guide means for the conduit sections cooperative with the lower portion of the impeller ring in the tank, said pins being adapted to impel a succession of conduit sections along said guide means downwardly through said galvanizing material, and an idler wheel engaging the outer periphery of the impeller ring and maintaining the impeller ring in offset eccentricity relative to a vertical plane through the axis of the drive pulley, said idler wheel comprising two spaced apart annular portions engaging the outer periphery of the impeller ring at respective opposite sidesof'said impeller pins and with a space between said annular portions to clear the impeller pins in the rolling of the idler wheel on the impeller ring.

8. In galvanizing apparatus, an impeller ring of substantial diameter having a series of radially outwardly projecting impeller elements, means for supporting articles to be galvanized in position to be impelled by said projecting elements, a driving wheel in simple relatively slidable frictional driving engagement with the inner periphery of said impeller ring, and thrust means normally acting on the outer periphery of the impeller ring to urge the same into driving frictional engagement with said driving wheel in a manner to permit relative slipping fbetweenthe driving wheel and the inner periphery of the ring for safety purposes in the event o1 abnormal resistance to operative movement of the ring as might be caused by jamming of an article impelled along said supporting means by one of said elements.

WILLIAM S. PEARSON.

References Cited in the le 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 663,034 LynchA Dec. 4, 1900 1,012,047 Armstrong Dec. 19, 1911 1,012,048 Armstrong Dec. 19, 1911 1,330,399 Shoemaker Feb. 10, 1920 1,706,348 Buchert Mar. 19, 1929 2,493,769 Magnin Jan. 10, 1950 

